Typical tire symbols

1. Tire size

2. DOT and Tire Identification Number (TIN)

3. Location of treadwear indicators

4. Tire ply composition and materials

Plies are layers of rubber-coated parallel cords. Cords are the strands which form the plies in a tire.

5. Radial tires or bias-ply tires

A radial tire has RADIAL on the sidewall. A tire not marked RADIAL is a bias-ply tire.

6. TUBELESS or TUBE TYPE

A tubeless tire does not have a tube and air is directly filled in the tire. A tube type tire has a tube inside the tire and the tube maintains the air pres- sure.

7. Load limit at maximum cold tire inflation pressure

8. Maximum cold tire inflation pressure

This means the pressure to which a tire may be inflated.

9. Uniform tire quality grading

For details, see “Uniform Tire Quality Grading” that follows.

10. Summer tire or all season tire

An all season tire has “M+S” on the sidewall. A tire not marked “M+S” is a summer tire.

• Typical DOT and tire identification number (TIN)
• Tire size
• Tire section names
• Uniform Tire Quality Grading
• Glossary of tire terminology